Propane shortage?

Heard something about this on the news, then promptly forgot to check the tank, because we use very little. Today the phone rings & it's the propane company. The lady asks how much we have, I was away, & told her I would check later. We only use it for hot water, dryer, & cooking. We do have a small propane heater for back up if we're gone. She said by their calculations we should be at 25% or so, & they would only fill 250 gal due to the shortage. My thoughts were 250gal will run us 6-8 months so what's the big deal. I told the wife this, & she sent me out in the cold to check the tank. Tank was filled in Sept or Oct & still at 50% so I'm good to go, but I never thought to ask how much they're getting per gal due to this "shortage". Anyone else having issues getting propane? I'm sooooo glad to have wood heat. A C

 

Saw that same story on the news the other night. I don't have propane, but I've seen the propane truck at the neighbors house at least twice in the past 6 weeks. Not sure if they're using that much or if they're doing partial fill ups.

A buddy got his tank filled a few weeks ago and his fillup was $2.48/gallon. Ouch is all I can say.

 

Yea, no kidding on the ouch. All that time I spend processing firewood looks very well spent about now. I can't imagine filling my tank every 4 - 6 weeks like some have to. That would put me in the poor house real quick like, not to mention being a slave to some fuel producer. Now all I need is a really big windmill LOL. A C

 

$ 2.68 / gal. here. Just had 200 gal. delivered but since my last delivery was in 2010, I'm not gonna beyatch too much.

 

Two weeks ago we had our first delivery since May, 15 - 18 gallons @ $2.76, we just use it for the propane fireplace.

 

My wife called me today to tell me our son and daughter in law have no heat at the house we just moved them into 2 weeks ago. Propane and she told me the guage said half full but it was empty (do not know a thing about propane heat, have never had it). She told me when I got home tonight that the soonest they could get a delivery is Saturday and some places they called were out. They have electric heaters running and the house was about 55 at dinner time. That stack of wood that they kid me about being able to see on google earth sure looks good now.

 

2.69 last week for about 375 gal. from Altogas.

Gary

 

Owww.

 

I used to have a 500 gallon tank. When I started heating with wood they started giving me crap about usage so I switched companies and had them bring me two 110 gallon tanks. I think I had them come out in November. I'm around 60% right, I should make it to Spring and past this "shortage" issue before I need any.

We have NG coming next fall to our area. Since I burn wood it'll take forever to break even(probably never unless I start burning less wood) but I think I may hook up when they bring it down the road. I was going to pass at first, the more I think about it the better/smarter it sounds. If I had NG I'm sure I'd have some nights during the shoulder season where I'd say screw the stove! My wife also likes cooking with gas better than electric so she'll like it!

 

91,500 BTUs in a gallon of propane. @ $2.70
140,000 BTU in a gallon of #1 diesel (heating oil) $3.86/gallon here delivered
Diesel just a little cheaper per BTU, but not as clean burning.

Either way , firewood is cheaper to use for heat (when it's dry ) than diesel or propane .
Even cheaper yet when burned in the newer EPA efficient wood stoves.
Add even more if you cut your own wood.

Here, NG is $8.79/ 1,000 cubic ft., ( which is 1 million BTUs) , pretty cheap heat in Alaska.
Clean heat too.
Cheaper than if I bought firewood at $250/cord of birch. Worked out
to $207 for NG to equal 1 cord of dry birch.
But I have about $40/cord in mine & enjoy the process.

Last price for NG in Michigan (link to state NG $$)
$9.40/1,000 cubic ft. (1 million BTU)
So pretty cheap there too, about 1/10 the the price of propane

rdust:
Definitely "GET HOOKED UP TO NG".
Back up heat, cooking, hot water. All cheaper than the other energy sources.
Vacation in the winter, cheap heat while you're gone.
Check for rebates for NG appliances
Michigan Link (Might be some $$ left in there ? )

 

I was at my sister's house last week when the propane guy filled the tank
76 gallons at $4.90.
Highway robbery if you ask me.
Only for heating water, but still that's some expensive showers.

 

I talked to my propane guy, who is actually a close friend, about it the other day. He said pretty much everything you read about it on the internet is true. It really started rolling in the fall with drying corn.

Last I heard, 17 states had declared an 'energy emergency', meaning drivers were exempt from FMCSA hours of service regs. As I understand it, that is intrastate, but I could be wrong. Still not sure I agree with it.

rdust, definitely get the NG. If it is anything like my house, it will cost a whole lot less to do it now than in the future. It will also help your house sell, whether you do it or your heirs.

 

I copied this from a local forum where I live.

I feel bad that people are having to pay these prices.
At those prices I can have another fire view paid for in about 90 days

 

Went from $2.84/gall last month to 3.68/gall this month. Put in a new propane back-up system last May. Price @ that time was $2.04 @ that time. Prices were rising long before this "propane shortage" (no doubt industry initiated) started. Just a case of good old capitalism @ work. Just using mother nature to their advantage to ram it to the consumer. God, I love looking @ my wood shed..........................

 

Would LOVE to hook up to NG. Unfortunately due to the excessively huge amount of "Canadian Shield" rock in this area, we will never see NG in this area. So, its either wood, oil or propane here. Just got rid of the oil due to the fact that they are regulating to death the oil systems in houses here. Thank God the new propane system I put in is for back up only.
So far, I have been using about 5-10 gallons per month. Wood is still #1 in this house.

 

Got 75 gallons this week at $2.39. We're on the auto-fill program. Must not be too short around here because they had no issue topping off and almost full 500 gallon tank. Most of that went to heating DHW, but the furnace burned some of it...last fill-up was end of Nov and $2.09.

That's the highest per gallon price I've ever paid.

Right across the field from me are about 10 grain bins. He didn't run the dryers much this year...

$4.90 a gallon is disgusting.

 

Pete, can you swap out 20# tanks at a local gas station?